Authentic Tex-Mex Fajitas
Submitted by cheri2star
Real-deal Tex-Mex fajitas with skirt steak rubbed in cumin and red chile, marinated in lime juice and pickled jalapenos, then seared screaming hot. Charred outside, pink inside, wrapped in warm tortillas.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
20 minREADY
35 minListen, if your fajitas come from a bag of pre-seasoned meat at the grocery store, we need to talk.
Authentic Tex-Mex fajitas start with skirt steak. Not chicken. Not shrimp. Skirt steak. It’s the cut that made fajitas famous along the Texas-Mexico border, and nothing else gives you that same beefy chew and char.
The marinade is no-nonsense: cumin, powdered red chiles, pickled jalapenos, garlic, and a good pour of lime juice. Let it sit overnight and the acid tenderizes the meat while the spices sink deep.
Then you cook it fast and furious over screaming hot coals. Two to three minutes per side. Charred crust on the outside, still pink in the middle. That’s the only way.
Slice against the grain, pile into warm flour tortillas, top with fresh pico de gallo, and you’re eating like you’re sitting at a roadside joint in the Rio Grande Valley.
Pro Tips
- Skirt steak must be cooked over high, direct heat. Low and slow will turn this cut into a tough, chewy disaster. You want a hard sear.
- Let the meat rest for a full 5 minutes after grilling before you cut it. This lets the juices redistribute so they end up in your tortilla, not on the cutting board.
- Always slice against the grain in thin strips. Skirt steak has long, visible fibers. Cut across them or you’ll be chewing all night.
- The pickled jalapeno liquid in the marinade is the secret weapon. It adds vinegary tang and heat that fresh jalapenos alone can’t match.
Ingredients
Directions
Place half of the onions in the bottom of a nonreactive dish. Mix the cumin, powdered red chiles, chopped jalapenos and garlic together in a small bowl, then rub on all sides of the meat. Put the skirt steak into the dish, on top of the onions. Pour the lime juice and the jalapeno liquid over all areas to coat. Sprinkle the remaining onions on top of the meat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight, turning once.
Preheat the grill or broiler until hot. Fajitas need to cook close to a very high heat source, in order to sear the outside but still leave the interior medium rare. Mix together the oil and, if you are using them, the soy sauce and liquid smoke. Brush or spoon the oil mixture onto the meat surfaces. Grill or broil about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the outside is brown and slightly charred, and the inside is still slightly pink.
Remove the meat to a cutting board. Let sit 5 minutes before slicing. Cut the meat into thin strips that can be easily rolled into tortillas. Serve with warm, soft flour tortillas and fresh Pico de Gallo or Salsa Fresca.
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